Gus Poyet overseeing Sunderland training, despite sack talk

Chris Young

GUS POYET is taking training as normal today, as speculation continues over the Sunderland head coach’s future.

There have been widespread reports that Poyet’s 18-month tenure at Sunderland is coming to an end after Saturday’s horrendous 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa left the Black Cats perched a precarious point above the relegation zone.

But Poyet was at the Academy of Light as normal this morning, to begin preparations for Sunderland’s trip to West Ham next weekend.

However, at this stage, it is difficult to see Poyet still being in charge for the trip to Upton Park, with the Black Cats thought to be considering short-term replacements for the final nine games of the season.

There have been whispers in football circles for months that Poyet and Sunderland would part company in the summer, with evident tension between the Uruguayan and sporting director Lee Congerton.

But the manner of the defeat to Villa has forced Sunderland to consider fast-forwarding those plans.

If Sunderland are to axe Poyet now, they will look to bring in a stop-gap manager to keep the club in the Premier League, before making a permanent appointment at the end of the season.

Ex-England boss Glenn Hoddle and former manager Dick Advocaat have both been mooted as possible contenders for the temporary role.